MD Students See Modest Test Score Improvements: Unpacking the Persistent Gaps

On Tuesday, the Maryland State Department of Education released test results indicating that public school students are making consistent strides in their proficiency in math and language arts. However, considerable disparities persist among different demographic groups.

This spring, approximately 52% of students participating in the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) test achieved proficiency in English Language Arts, while around 27% exhibited proficiency in math. Both categories saw gains of less than one percentage point compared to last year’s results.

The latest results indicate that this marks the fourth consecutive year of improvements in language arts proficiency. This progress is partially credited to the adoption of the “science of reading” curriculum, introduced by state Superintendent Carey Wright, who previously witnessed similar successes in Mississippi.

Significant progress was particularly evident among middle school students in language arts. Proficiency among eighth graders improved from 48.4% last year to 50.2% this year.

Remarkable changes are also observed when comparing the data from 2022, two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began and schools began returning to normalcy. Seventh graders showed an increase in language arts proficiency from 42.7% to 54.6%. Economically disadvantaged students also made notable gains, rising from nearly 24% proficient in 2022 to about 36% this year.

Geoff Sanderson, the deputy state superintendent of accountability, reported that various student groups have improved more rapidly than the overall scores, but he emphasized that significant gaps still exist.

The proficiency among Black students increased from 39.4% last year to 40.7% this year, while Latino students saw a rise from 33.7% to 35.1%. The percentage of students with disabilities remained stable at 14.6%.

In stark contrast, about 68.7% of white students achieved proficiency in language arts this year, compared to 67.9% last year.

School board member Peggy Carr, who also serves as a visiting professor at the University of Maryland’s College of Education, highlighted the need for vigilance regarding these statistics.

Assessments in various math topics are performed for high school students, alongside language arts evaluations for tenth graders. Science assessments are conducted for students in grades five and eight.

Regional Overview

Worcester County public school students once again outperformed their peers, achieving nearly 70% proficiency in English, surpassing last year’s rate of 68.5%. They also had the highest math proficiency this year at around 49%, up from 47.7% last year, marking a significant 16.5 percentage point increase since 2022.

School board member Alverne “Chet” Chesterfield, a resident of Lower Shore, questioned how Worcester County managed such impressive advancements.

Superintendent Annette Wallace, who took the helm of Worcester County Schools in July 2025, received praise from Wright for her leadership and the exemplary results produced under her guidance.

“I’m certain her colleagues are reaching out for insights into her successful strategies because she is exceptionally dedicated to this work,” Wright remarked.

In terms of language arts performance, several other districts also achieved at least 60% proficiency this year, including Carroll (67.5%), Calvert (66.6%), Howard (65.9%), Frederick (64%), and Harford (61%).

This year, three school districts achieved double-digit percentage increases in language arts proficiency from 2022 to the present:

• Harford: from 49.8% to 61.1%, an 11.3% boost
• Calvert: from 55.9% to 66.6%, a 10.7% boost
• Baltimore City: from 22.4% to 32.9%, a 10.5% boost

In addition to Worcester County’s excellence in math, Calvert County also reported a significant enhancement, improving from 27.8% in 2022 to 37.9% this year, yielding a 10.1% increase.

Howard (42.9%) and Carroll (41.9%) joined Worcester County as the sole districts with over 40% proficiency in math.

Board member Xiomara Medina, who oversees clinical training at Bowie State University’s Department of Counseling and Psychological Studies, commented on the year-over-year progress, noting that while gains might appear marginal, they nonetheless signify positive developments.

“Indeed, we acknowledge there’s substantial work ahead. However, it is crucial we don’t undermine the efforts of superintendents and principals by dismissing improvements as merely 0.2%,” Medina remarked. “The progress being made is commendable and deserves recognition.”

A deeper analysis of the results is slated for next month.

This year’s MCAP marks the final administration for students in grades three through eight, as Maryland transitions to the newly structured Maryland System of Testing Academic Readiness (MSTAR) for the upcoming school year.

Wright highlighted that the new tests are designed to align more closely with the specific grade-level material being taught in classrooms. In the current language arts test, students are subject to a range of questions spanning different levels.

The upcoming tests will be shorter, a change Wright noted would be beneficial for teachers.

Maryland READS, an organization dedicated to enhancing literacy, urged state education leaders and the General Assembly to sustain their funding for the professional development program known as “coaching.”

In the recent budget, the legislature approved slightly over $14 million to hire 61 literacy and math instructional coaches for the 2026-27 academic year.

“Every family whose child achieved proficiency this year should take pride in their accomplishment; however, we must not ease our efforts,” stated Trish Brennan-Gac, executive director of Maryland READS. “While we are making progress, we are still far from resolving Maryland’s reading crisis. Many students remain unable to read at grade level, and we cannot allow small gains to justify complacency.”

Changes in Leadership